DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS

College of Arts and Sciences

University of the Philippines Manila

Course Title Metabolism

Course Code BIOCHEM 35/BIOCHEM 35.1
Course Credit 5 units
Prerequisite Chem 34, (Chem 34.1)
Course Description Organic reaction mechanisms and regulation of metabolic pathways and methods to study these processes

Program Outcomes
1. Demonstrate mastery of fundamental scientific principles and a command of basic knowledge underlying Biochemistry/Chemistry.
2. Apply appropriate laboratory techniques and skills, including the utilization of modern equipment in the practice of Biochemistry/Chemistry.
3. Interpret qualitative and quantitative data in a scientific study.
4. Communicate significant scientific results of a study clearly and concisely by written, verbal and/or graphical means.
5. Relate basic knowledge of Chemistry and Biochemistry to practical applications.
6. Integrate moral, ethical and social responsibilities as a Filipino citizen to the practice of the profession.

At the end of the course, students are expected to:

Course Outcome
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the role of the four biomolecules and micronutrients in the various physiological processes and cellular metabolism
2. Discuss the thermodynamic and kinetic factors affecting metabolic reaction rates
3. Examine the reaction mechanisms that results in the breakdown and synthesis of biomolecules
4. Design appropriate research methods to study cellular metabolism

Time Teaching Learning Materials/

Topic Topic Outcomes Assessment Tasks
Frame Activities Resources
Introduction: o Differentiate the types of chemical bonds in
o Chemical bonding and the terms of formation, stability and strength
nature of chemical bonds o Recall the various functional groups as it
o Functional groups of organic relate to organic reaction mechanisms and Worksheet (written
3.0 hrs Lecture, discussion Online refs
compounds and bioorganic how it applies to biological systems. exercise)
reactions o Discuss the molecular components of the
o Overview of the functions of cell and their role in cellular metabolism and
biomolecules function

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 Time Teaching Learning Materials/
Topic Topic Outcomes Assessment Tasks
Frame Activities Resources
Thermodynamics and kinetics
of enzyme-catalyzed
reactions Lecture, AVP,
- Laws of o Demonstrate how the laws of
discussion, Activity
thermodynamics apply to biological systems
thermodynamics 1.5 hrs + 3 sheet on catalysis and Written exercises; Textbook,
o Illustrate how enzymes facilitate catalysis in
applied to biological hrs activity kinetics of multisubstrate recitation Online refs
biological systems
systems enzymes; Cleland
- Compartmentation diagrams
- Inhibition and
allosterism
- Bioenergetics
o ATP and other high o Analyze the structure of ATP and other high
Lecture, laboratory
energy compounds Exam, Laboratory
energy compounds: 0.5 hrs + 6 activity on biological Textbook,
o Explain how cells generate energy for Performance, Oral and
properties hrs expt value of food (sugar, fat online refs
various physiological processes written reports
o Synthesis of high and protein)
energy compounds
AVP, group discussion;
Digestion and Absorption o Discuss the molecular mechanisms in the 1.5 hrs + 6
laboratory activity on Worksheets Online refs
mechanisms breakdown of food and its absorption hrs expt
digestion
Catabolic pathways and
mechanisms of reactions
- Carbohydrate o Discuss the molecular mechanisms in
catabolism cellular respiration
o Cellular respiration: o Analyze the strategies employed for
AVP, Exercise, Group Presentation of assigned Textbook,
glucose and other generating energy from the metabolism of 1 hr
activity models online refs
monosaccharides sugars
• Cytoplasmic phase o Contrast the anaerobic and aerobic phase
of cellular respiration
• Mitochondrial/
aerobic phase

o Glycogenolysis
o Hexose o Examine the mechanisms leading to
Lecture, Group Textbook,
monosphosphate alternative pathways for the catabolism of 1.5 hrs
discussions
Exam, reports
online refs
shunt glucose and its stores and its regulation
o Regulation
o Design experiments for analyzing
o Methods to study
intermediates in cellular respiration 6 hrs Lecture, laboratory expts Reports Online refs
cellular respiration

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 Time Teaching Learning Materials/
Topic Topic Outcomes Assessment Tasks
Frame Activities Resources
- Lipid catabolism
o TAG catabolism
o Discuss the molecular mechanism in the
o β-oxidation of fatty
breakdown of fats Lecture, AVP, Board Exam, Board activities, Textbook,
acids o Contrast the energy produced by the
1.5 hrs
activities worksheets online refs
• even numbered catabolism of different types of fatty acids
• odd numbered

o Discuss the molecular mechanisms in the

breakdown of sterols and steroids and its
o Catabolism of
regulation Textbook,
sterols and steroids 1.5 hrs + 6 Lecture, Small group Exam, journal and lab
o Compare energy-producing and structural Online refs,
o Regulation hrs lab discussion, lab activities reports
lipids in terms of structure, function and Journals
metabolism

- Amino acid catabolism

o C3 amino acids Textbook,
o Compare the catabolic pathways of the Lecture, group activity, Poster presentation, case
o C4 amino acids classes of amino acids
2 hrs
journal discussions study analysis
Online refs,
o C5 amino acids Journals

o Catabolism of
branched chain
amino acids and
methionine o Analyze the mechanisms that lead to the
Group activity, journal Online refs,
o Catabolism of breakdown of branch-chain, aromatic and 2 hrs
discussions
worksheets, reports
Journals
aromatic amino basic amino acids
acids
o Catabolism of lysine

- Catabolism of
nucleotides
o Discuss the mechanism for the catabolism
o Purine catabolism of the purine and pyrimidine rings 1.5 hrs
Small group discussion, Exam, Oral and written Online refs,
o Pyrimidine case studies reports Journals
catabolism

Textbook,
- Tools for studying
o Design methods to study catabolism of Lecture, Problem Exams, Problem Set, Lab Online refs,
catabolism of 1.5 hrs + 6
glucose, fats, amino acids and nucleotides Solving, case studies, performance, Oral and Solved
biomolecules hrs lab
Laboratory experiments Written Reports Problem
Sets

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 Time Teaching Learning Materials/
Topic Topic Outcomes Assessment Tasks
Frame Activities Resources
Anabolic pathways and
mechanisms o reactions o Analyze the process of building
- Carbohydrates macromolecules from simple building blocks AVP, Exercise, Group Presentation of assigned Textbook,
1 hr
o Glycogenesis o Discuss the anabolic mechanisms to activity models online refs
o Gluconeogenesis produce glucose and/or its stores

o Discuss the nature of plant secondary

o Plant secondary metabolites
Lecture, Preceptorial
metabolites from o Analyze the mechanisms for the synthesis Exam, Problem sets, Textbook,
0.5 hrs sessions, scenario
pyruvate of plant secondary metabolites from journal reports online refs
evaluation
o Regulation biochemical pathway intermediates

- Lipids
o Lipogenesis
o Synthesis of glycerol
esters o Illustrate the various mechanisms to Board activities, Quiz, Textbook,
1.5 hr Lecture, AVP
o Synthesis of synthesize structural and storage lipids worksheets Online Refs
phospholipids
o Synthesis of ketone
bodies
o Synthesis of
cholesterol and
other steroids o Analyze the importance of cholesterol as Textbook,
Lecture, AVP, Group
o Synthesis of precursors of important metabolites 1.5 hrs + 3 journal
discussion, Laboratory Exam, Written reports
eicosanoids o Explain the mechanisms involved in hrs lab artlcles,
experiments
o Synthesis of regulating cholesterol synthesis and stores Online Refs
cholesterol-derived
plant metabolites
- Proteins and amino
o Compare the essential from non-essential
acids Online refs,
amino acids
o Microbial synthesis 1.5 Lecture, AVP, Exam, worksheets journal
o Contrast microbial and mammalian systems
of amino acids articles
for the synthesis of amino acids

o Synthesis of amino Textbook,

o Analyze the mechanisms leading to the
acid-derived Online
synthesis of vasoactive compounds and Lecture, AVP, Small Graded Recitation, Quiz,
vasoactive plant secondary metabolites from amino
3 hrs
group discussion journal reports
Refs,
compounds journal
acids
o Plant secondary articles

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 Time Teaching Learning Materials/
Topic Topic Outcomes Assessment Tasks
Frame Activities Resources
metabolites from
amino acids
- Nucleic acids
o Synthesis of purine Textbook,
nucleotides Online
o Explain the mechanisms involved in the lecture, Journal Reports, worksheets,
o Synthesis of 1.5 hrs Refs,
synthesis of purine and pyrimidine bases discussion, AVP quizzes
pyrimidine journal
nucleotides articles

Solved
o Synthesis of ribose o Compare the mechanism for the synthesis
Problem
of ribose and deoxyribose Lecture, Written Problem Set, Written and
and deoxyribose o Analyze the salvage pathways for recycling
0.5 hrs
Exercises Oral Reports, Exam
Sets,
o Salvage pathways Textbooks,
purine and pyrimidine nucleotides
Journals
Solved
Exam, Lab Performance,
o Anabolism studies Lecture, Laboratory Problem
o Evaluate studies to study anabolism using 3 hrs + 6 Problem set discussion,
using mutants Experiment, Problem Sets,
various mutant and model systems hrs (expt) Written and Oral Reports,
Sets Textbooks,
Exam
Journals
o Design experiments to evaluate nutritional
o Methods in 0.5 hrs + 2 Lecture, animal and in-
requirements of model systems Textbook,
nutritional studies weeks vitro model systems Reports
o Evaluate the biological value of complex online refs
- experiment studies
foods

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